Vacation: Monday Disneyland

California Vacation

Disneyland

Monday

May 20, 2013

Monday was our first day of Disneyland. We decided to try and experience as many rides the first day as we could. Ridemax was our helpful guide to fitting it all in during a fairly busy time of year.

Here we all are, minus daddy who's taking the picture, at the opening gate! I purchased Minnie Mouse ears ahead of time, from Babies R Us, for the girls to wear. They were much cheaper than buying them inside the park. Talmage wore his Mickey ears from a few years back, when he visited Disneyland for the first time at 1 1/2 years old.

We made sure to arrive a whole hour before the park opened, to guarantee us first in line. The kids had fun climbing on the gate, anxiously awaiting the moment it opened!



When the gates first opened, Jacob took Talmage to get in line for Space Mountain and Star Tours.
Talmage and Daddy waiting for the rope to drop, in front of Tomorrowland.

Talmage's first ride of Disneyland was Splash Mountain and he loved it! He rode it several time throughout our trip with both mommy and daddy.

Star Tours



I took the girls to start on some rides in Fantasyland. Ellie and Emma began to get fussy and at one moment, I began to think I couldn't take on both girls alone. Right at the moment, a nice lady offered to help hold Emma and then carry the bag, push the stroller and even ride the rides with us. At first I was hesitant to accept help from a stranger but I needed the help. After talking with her, I realized that she was also LDS and was here with her husband, the creator and owner of Ridemax! Crazy! Her husband was off at Cars Land, getting new information for the software. As a result, she stayed with me until Jacob was done with the two rides he took Talmage on.

Dumbo was our first ride, then Storybook Canals, followed by Casey Jr Train...just us girls!


Our first ride together with the whole family, the Teacups!


Ellie never missed a nap!

Talmage got to ride everything twice, once with daddy and then with mommy. Lucky kid!

Gadget's Go Go Coaster with Mommy

Splash Mountain was also another favorite of his! This is his first time on the ride, with daddy! He also rode this ride as many times as he could!

The Shooting Range with Daddy

Talmage wasn't quite tall enough to show so he got creative!

Right before we left on our trip, I found a fan that connects to a car seat or stroller. Perfect for the warm weather we had at Disneyland! Ellie also like to play with it, so it kept her busy!

We made a Disneyland Bucket List of things we wanted to do, see and eat at the park. One of the items on the list was to take a picture next to the Indian. The thought behind it was every time you visit Disneyland, take a picture and see how the kids grow!



Ellie, outside Splash Mountain exit, waiting on Daddy and brother.

We stayed at Best Western Park Place Inn, directly across the street from Disneyland. Our room had two double beds so the kids shared one, while she shared the other. Here they are, all tuckered out, so cute together! Brother-sister love!

Vacation: Sunday Music Box Steps

California Vacation

Music Box Steps

Sunday

May 19, 2013

When I married Jacob, I entered into a whole new world of media I never knew existed. He's slowly, but surely, helping me along my path to becoming cultured in the art of film. The 30s and 40s are continually drawn upon by producers and directors, as a guide to current movie making. As a result, that era as shown to be the prime, true masters of film. 

One of the first films he showed me was a classic Laurel and Hardy short, The Music Box. It has since become a family favorite, even amongst our kids. Both Talmage and Emma love to watch Laurel and Hardy. They laugh and laugh. So naturally, we couldn't go to California without a visit to the original steps.

The Music Box is a Laurel and Hardy short film comedy, released in 1932. The film depicts the pair attempting to move a piano up a large flight of steps,. It won the first Academy Award for Live Action Short Film (Comedy) in 1932. In 1997, this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

2013

1932

2013

1932

Laurel and Hardy Park, across the street from the steps

Vacation: Sunday Bat Cave

California Vacation

Bat Cave

Sunday

May 19, 2013

On Sunday, we also explored Bronson Cave (Bat Cave), a section of Griffith Park, in LA. 

The cave was used as the entrance to the Bat Cave in the 1960s Batman tv series. that has become famous as a filming location for a large number of movies and TV shows, especially westerns and science fiction, from the early days of motion pictures to the present. 

Once you enter the shallow cave, it branches off into two openings. On the other side, as you come out, you can see clearly see the Hollywood sign. It was such an awesome experience, especially since Talmage is a huge fan of Batman.

                           

Vacation: Sunday Griffith Park

California Vacation

Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round

Sunday

May 19, 2013

Once we arrived in California, around 12 pm, our first destination was Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round. What better way to start off a Disneyland vacation then where Walt Disney, himself, used to take his girls. And what sparked his brilliant idea of creating a family-centered theme park, known as Disneyland. 

                           

The kids loved it! Unfortunately, they only took cash, which we didn't have at the time, so the kids resorted to playing, dancing and picture taking instead! The music, on the carousel, was amazing and sounded like what a traditional, vintage carousel would sound like.